1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in a radio pager, and more specifically to a method of inhibiting the display of on incoming message and/or message(s) already stored in a pager,
2. Description of the Prior Art
Radio pagers which are equipped with a display function have proven very popular in that a large amount of data can be acquired at one calling as compared with an older style type pager which alerts a person to call a single predetermined phone number merely by means of sound and/or flashing light.
As is well known in the art, if an incoming pager address code coincides with a pager ID (Identification) code which has been assigned to a pager, a controller of the pager energizes a speaker and/or LED (Light Emitting Diode) to alert the subscriber by providing an audible and/or visible signal.
A known display function equipped pager unconditionally displays a message which follows the pager address code if the incoming pager address code has been found coincident with the pager ID code.
Consequently, even if a pager subscriber wishes to keep a message Just received confidential, it is possible that a person other than the subscriber is able to observe the message which is being displayed. The same applies to the situation wherein the subscriber inadvertently forgets the pager or otherwise leaves the device unattended. The possibility that a personal message may be seen by another person is unpleasant irrespective of whether the message received is highly confidential or not.
Further, a known pager equipped with a display function is unable to selectively inhibit the display of a message(s) already stored in the pager. The message(s) stored can be displayed merely by pushing a display switch provided in the pager. However, this arrangement is deemed to suffer from the drawback that it is overly easy for a person other than the subscriber to access the message(s) stored in the pager and that such can still occur by accident.